Issue number forty of the Marvel Star Wars comic book series is entitled Star Wars 40: The Empire Strikes Back: Battleground Hoth.
Luke Skywalker is recuperating from injuries he received during an encounter with a wampa at the Echo Base medical facility on Hoth. Before Han Solo and Chewbacca arrive to inquire about Luke's condition, Princess Leia and Luke share a brief, intimate moment. Leia and Han have a minor argument, and Leia kisses Luke to provoke Han's jealousy.
Aboard the super Star Destroyer, Executor, Lord Vader's team obtains the data transmitted from the Imperial Viper probe droid. Vader discovers the rebel base's location on Hoth and orders the fleet to head there.
The Empire's Admiral Ozzel prematurely pulls the fleet out of lightspeed, thereby alerting the Rebels to their arrival. Consequently, the rebels activate a shield that prevents any laser fire from reaching the planet. Darth Vader punishes Ozzel for this error by using the Force to kill him. Captain Piett of the Executor is promoted to Ozzel's former rank.
The Empire sends AT-AT and AT-ST walkers down to the planet's surface. They are commanded by General Veers, and their mission is to destroy the generators powering the energy shield. Luke Skywalker leads a group of snowspeeders to fight the Walkers, while Bren Derlin is in charge of the ground assault.
In the meantime, Han Solo instructs Chewbacca to prepare the Millennium Falcon so he can evacuate the Princess from the planet.
During the battle on the ground, Luke's gunner Dak Ralter dies, and their speeder crashes into a snowdrift. An Imperial Walker approaches, ready to crush the disabled speeder with one of its feet.